Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, has accused the United States of miscalculating Tehran’s strength, saying Washington assumed Iran would quickly collapse like Venezuela but is now trapped in a conflict it cannot control.
Larijani made the remarks during a live appearance on state television on Saturday, stressing that the U.S. underestimated Iran by failing to understand the country’s local political and social context. He argued that this misjudgment has caused the U.S. strategy to stall, leaving Washington struggling to achieve its objectives.
The conflict erupted on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated air strikes on key Iranian sites, including the compound of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the attacks, along with other senior government officials. In response, Iran carried out missile and drone strikes targeting U.S. and Israeli positions, escalating hostilities across the region.
“The U.S. thought Iran would be like Venezuela, but they got stuck,” Larijani said, adding that America continues to misread Iran’s internal dynamics, which has prolonged the crisis.
Since the initial attacks, both sides have exchanged multiple missile and drone strikes, resulting in significant casualties and heightening tensions across the Middle East. Larijani’s comments reflect Tehran’s narrative that the United States underestimated Iran’s resilience and that attempts to destabilize the country have instead entrenched the conflict.
Global leaders and neighbouring states have been closely monitoring the situation, with calls for restraint and diplomacy growing louder as the conflict continues.
